Headlight dimmer



Aug. 26, 1924. 1,506,064

' K. .1. HOLLAND ET AL HEADLIGHT DIMMER Filed Feb. 24. 1923 gwucnfow JfJJzoZZarzaZ 47262 GLQZdehQ Patented Aug. 26, 19 24.

, v 5 5 PATENT OFFICE.

KEBOR J. HOLLAND AND GAYUS D. WEBB, OF JULIET, ILLINOIS.

HEADLIGHT DINNER.

Application fled February 24, 1923. Serial No. 621,047.

To all whom it my concern: 7 7

Be it known that we, KnnoN'J. HonnANn and GAYUS D. Wnan citizens of the United States, residing at J oliet, in the county of Will and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Headlight Dimmers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automobiles, and has special reference to a headlight for automobiles. 7

It is a well recognized fact that the laws of various States re uire certain definite restrictions to be ma e for the purpose of relventing glare from automo ile headi ts.

One important object of the invention is to provide an improved and sim lified form of general construction of headlight for the prevention of glare.

A second important object of the present invention is to provide an improved and novel form of headlight reflector wherein the reflecting surfaces will be of two diflerent characters so that while an intense beam of light may be reflected from the central part of the reflector, the outer parts of such reflector will be so constructed as to throw a. soft and mellow light in the nature of a flood light.

A third important object of the invention is to provide, in combination with a reflector as described above, a screen capable of being interposed in the beam of bright light so as to render the latter also mellow and soft, thus iving a very considerable quantity of lig t without producin a lare.

it the above and other objects in view as will be hereinafter apparent the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically claimed. 7

In the accompanyin drawings like characters of reference indlcate like parts in the several views, and: V

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a head light constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, the view being partly broken away, and lpartly diagrammatic, in order to more ful y illustrate the invention.

is provided a foot step bearing In the embodiment of the invention herein illustrated, there is shown a housing or casing 10, whic is of any preferredform of construction proper to accommodate the pe culiar reflector and its parts as used herewith. The reflector preferably is formed with a metallic bod 11 having an inner surface of parabolic ongitudinal section. In the axis of the paraboloid thus formed, there is placed the usual lamp socket 12 carrying a lamp 13, the filament of which is located at the focus of the reflector. It is preferred that the paraboloid forming the reflector be of reat length compared to its focal distance or reasons that will be hereinafter explained. The central portion of this reflector is plated with some such substance as nickel or the like, which is capable of. bein hi hly polished so as to reflect practice. ly a l of the rays of 1i ht striking it and, owin to the shape of t is reflector, the rays of light from the lamp 13 which strike the reflector willbe reflected as practically parallel rays, it being obvious that a, slight error will exist, in the parallelism by reason of the fact that the filament is of definite dimensions and not a point. Beyond the polished reflecting surface 13', the reflector is lined as at 14 with white enamel or less, it bein understood that the glass use is prefera 1y of the type known as opal glass. Such a surface reflects ajgreat deal of the light striking on it, but at, the same time the reflected light is greatly softcued and glare is prevented. 1 7 7 Thus it will be seen that this type of reflector rejects a central brilliant beam surrounded by a marginal ring of soft light. The reflector is provided at its base with a flange 15, and is closed in front 'b a glass 16 secured in position bv the usua rin 17 attached to the body 10 by screws18. ertically below the axisof the reflector there h f I 19 which rez'eivest e point 0 a int 020 so rting a revoluble disk 21 of white or opal gtss or other like material. The upper endoff this disk 21 is connected toan operatingshaft 22. The diameter of the disk 21 is greater than the greatest diameter of the metal plated part of the reflector, so that when the disk is turned to a position perpendicular to the axis of the reflector, all the light rays from the lamp 13 which are reflected b the reflector plating 13 will strike the dis 21 and,

owin to the translucent nature of such disk, will e softened-so that ho glare w ll be caused by the central brilliant beam with the disk 21 in such position. Moreover, the length of the parabo oid is suchthat no light rays can pass directly from the lamp 13 out of the reflector except the disk 21 is turned to lie with its equatorial axis in the axis of the reflector.

It will be obvious that a variety of means ma be usedfor the purpose of rotating the dis between its two positions, and that such means ma be operated by the driver of the automobi e from his seat. As one example of such operating means, though not necessarily the only manner in which the operating means may be eflected, there is here shown a double armed lever 23 fixed on the upper end of the shaft 22. At 24 are shown two solenoids, each. having a core 25 connected to arespective armo the double armed lever by a pin and slot connection as shown at 26 One end of each of these solenoids is grounded preferably on the casing 10, as at27. 1 rom the other end of each solenoid leads a connectin wire 28, each of these wires being connec to a contact 29. At 30 is a switch arm which is capable of being swung from one to the other of the contacts 29, and which is connected by wire 31 to the usual battery 32 of the automobile, this battery being grounded in the ordina r manner as at 33.

he switch 30 is locate convenient to the operator of the automobile, and it will be obvious that by swinging the switch to one or the other of thecontacts .29, energizetion of a respective solenoid'24 will be offected. For instance, in Fig. 2, it is seen that the lower solenoid 24 as been energized, and that consequently, the disk 21 is laced across the path of the beam of light rom the reflecting surface 13. If new the switch 30 is tobe turned to the other contact 29, the upper selenoid2 will be energized and the disk 21 will'be swung edgeways to the beam of light from the reflectin surface 13, thus permitting, practically al of said light to pass as a brilliant beam, said disk hem of slight thickness.

It will be 0 vious that a variety of reflecting surfaces may be employed, the essential features of the two surfaces bein that the central surface should be ada ted to reflect practically all of the rays of ight without diflusion while the outer surface 14 should be adapted to difiuse and soften the rays of light striking it. In like manner, it will be obvious that the screen or disk 21 may be made of other material than white or opal glass, it being onl essential that such screen should be a trans ucent diffusing and softening screen.

While we have stated that the outer reflectingbesurface is of enamel "or opal glass it will obvious that, since the (purpose 0 this surface is to soften and ideas the light striking it, other material may be used as a coating, such for instance as dull poreclain, powdered aluminum or the like, it being merely necessary that the surface shall be a softenin and diflusing surface.

There has thus 11 provided a simple and eflicient device of the kind described and for'the purpose specified.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, therefore, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

Havin thus described the invention, what is aimed as new, is:

1. In an automobile headlight, a parabolic reflector'having a central portion of high reflective power adapted to reflect practically all Ii ht impinging upon it, an outer portion a apted to reflect 1i htimpinging upon it in a softened and ifiused manner, and a softening and difl'usin screen of greater diameterthan the contra portion and of less diameter than the outer portion of the reflector, said screen being mounted in said reflector between the focus and the open end of the reflector and arran ed to swing between a osition at right ang es to the axis of the re ector and a position edgewise to the light from the central portion of said reflector.

2. In a device of the kind described, a parabolic reflector having a lamp located at its focus, the central portion of said parabolic reflector having a reflecting surface of highly polished metal, the outer portion of said parabolic reflector havin a reflector surface adapted to diffuse an soften rays from the lam im inging thereon, and a diffusing an so toning disk rotatably mounted in the reflector between the lamp and th; outer end of the]:1 reflalctor alxild ha;- ing a iameter greater t an t e hi ished portion of said reflector and 0 f 8:88 diameter than the section of the reflector in which it is placed, said disk being adapted to swing between a position-transverse the beam of light from the highly olished reflector to a position edgeways oi saidbeam.

3. In a device 'of the kind described, a parabolic reflector having a lamp located at its focus, the central portion 0 said parabolic reflector having a reflecting surface of highly polished metal, the outer portion of said rabolic reflector having a reflecting sur ace adapted to difluse and soften rays from the lamp impingin thereon, and a diffusing and softening disk rotatably rnounted in the reflector, between the focus said beam, said disk being constructed of and the open end of the reflector, and havopal glass.

ing a, diameter eater than the hi hly pol- In testimony whereof we aflix our signaished ortion 0 said reflector, sai disk betures.

ing a apted to swin between a position transverse the beam 0 light from the highly KERON J. HOLLAND. polished reflector to a, position edgeways of GAYUS D. WEBB. 

